


And Though She Be But Little

by MaliceManaged



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: F/F, Gen, Loki Does What He Wants, Male-Female Friendship, Matchmaking, Post-Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-18
Updated: 2018-01-18
Packaged: 2019-03-06 12:52:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,123
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13411647
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MaliceManaged/pseuds/MaliceManaged
Summary: There isn't a whole lot  a certain Trickster god wouldn't do for a friend; even if it means potentially risking his neck playing Cupid...





	And Though She Be But Little

**Author's Note:**

> I've been working on this on and off for most of the month. Because reasons. (i have no life basically)

    He was nervous, she could tell, and while Valkyrie had seen him nervous before, this time it confused her a bit, given the circumstances. Thor seemed less surprised, though she could see he was every bit as uncomfortable as his... brother-not-brother. It was hard to keep track of how the Trickster felt about it; it seemed to change with every passing moment, and she compromised by simply calling them by name to the other in his presence. Regardless, they made their way to the modest house, though she got the impression that neither man actually wanted to _be_ there, which begged the question of why they _were_ there at all. It wasn’t as though they were short on troubles.

 

    They were in what she was told was ‘the English countryside’, though it had been so long since she’d been on Midgard she had no idea where that actually was. She did, however, note that the house was somewhat _odd,_ in a way, though she couldn’t quite tell _how_ at first, only that it seemed to belong there and yet was completely out of place. It was only when they were at the front door and Loki knocked that it registered; the place was absolutely teeming with strange magick, which made several possibilities as to why they were there cross her mind, though she refrained from jumping to any conclusions.

 

    She couldn’t quite see the woman who answered the door, as she was halfway obscured by Loki from where she stood, but she could tell her skin had a sort of earthy tone to it, with rich auburn curls that cascaded wildly down her back all the way to her thighs and she smelled of spices and earth and warm sun as though she’d just been in a garden. What she could see of her expression was one of shock but recognition, so she must know Loki some way or another.

 

    “Hello, Lily,” Loki greeted with a smile, doing his level best to sound casual and mostly succeeding.

 

    The woman - Lily? - seemed speechless for a moment then her face went blank. “Loki,” she said neutrally, “You’re supposed to be dead.”

 

    His smile faltered just the tiniest bit at her tone but held. “Yes, well; the tales of my demise were slightly exaggerated.”

 

    “Again...” She sounded displeased.

 

    Loki let out a slightly nervous chuckle and went to say something else, but the words never made it out; Valkyrie barely caught the motion but she definitely heard the punch connect with Loki’s face and saw him stagger back from the force of the blow.

 

    “ _Again!_ You absolute _prick!”_ Oh, she was definitely pissed now.

 

    “Lilean,” Loki began, but she stepped forward and he wisely shut up and took a few steps back.

 

    “I spent _weeks_ worrying about you before hearing you were dead _again. Weeks!_ Because not only did you not have the decency to let me know you were alive, your _idiot brother,”_ she gestured wildly towards Thor who, to Valkyrie’s surprise, actually flinched back, “forgot about me, _again!”_

 

    “Lilean, if you would just let me explain-”

 

    “Oh, but then you just turn up like it’s nothing! Like it’s all _fine,_ innit?! Never mind how many nervous breakdowns you put your friends through! _Friends,_ Loki; do you understand how that works?” He flinched at that and had the presence of mind to look ashamed. “Because _friends_ don’t let their friends go thinking they’re _dead!_ _Twice!_ And they certainly don’t just pop ’round like it’s nothing after, like it’s just a big joke, you bloody-!”

 

    Loki threw caution to the wind and stepped forward to hug Lilean tightly, burying her face in his chest partially to shut her up. “If you could stop yelling at me for a moment, I can explain.”

 

    He grunted in pain as she punched his ribs in response, but hardly expected any less. Actually, he expected - he grunted again as a second punch connected, then a third. That was more like it.

 

    When he was somewhat sure she wasn’t going to punch him again, he let her go. As she stepped back, she caught a better sight of Thor and raised an eyebrow. “Bloody hell, what happened to _you?”_

 

    “Good to see you, too,” Thor replied sarcastically.

 

    She then slid her gaze to Valkyrie and just... _stared,_ until Loki finally cleared his throat lightly. “Lilean, this is Valkyrie.”

 

    “That doesn’t sound like a name,” Lilean replied somewhat distractedly, earning an amused half smile from the woman in question.

 

    “Well, it’s all I’ve got, so deal with it,” Loki huffed, a bit irritated with how quickly his friend’s attention had shifted from him.

 

    “Buy me a few drinks, and I might just tell you the other one,” Valkyrie offered, stepping closer and offering her hand in greeting.

 

    Lilean grinned as she shook her hand. “A woman after my own heart.” She turned back to Loki, who was eyeing her _very_ closely up until the moment she did. “So, what’d you boys break _this_ time?”

 

    “Asgard,” Loki replied bluntly.

 

    Lilean blinked then looked at Thor, who nodded solemnly, then back at Loki. “... Right... Come in for a pot, then?”

 

    A laugh bubbled out of a quite surprised Loki, and then another, and another, and before he knew it he couldn’t stop.

 

****

 

    “So, let me see if I’ve got this,” Lilean began after Thor had explained exactly why they had come (or at least why _he_ had come; Loki really did just want to see her after so long), “You have the entirety of what’s left of the aesir, plus extras, on a spaceship parked off the coast of Norway?”

 

    “Yes.”

 

    “And of those, there are many with lingering injuries, only a few healers, and almost no supplies for them to work with?”

 

    “Yes.”

 

    “And so you come to me, after years of not so much as a peep, for my help.”

 

    “... Yes.”

 

    She stared at him for a moment. “And you wonder why I’ve never liked you.”

 

    “I don’t know why you’re surprised, honestly,” Loki spoke up.

 

    “ _You_ shut up,” she snapped at him, causing him to flinch, “I’m still pissed at you.”

 

    Valkyrie was really beginning to wonder what it was about this buxom yet tiny creature (she was at _least_ two inches shorter than her, for Norn’s sake, and she was hardly a tall woman) that had two seasoned warriors like the recent and current king of Asgard flinching at her anger. Or for that matter, how she was supposed to help. She obviously had some skill with magick, her home was more than evidence of that, but what more was there? She knew there was _some_ thing about her, though, - it teased at the edge of her consciousness, drawing her in, almost captivating her in a way that made her a bit wary - but she had no idea what it could be.

 

    And she was staring.

 

    She hadn’t noticed it until she realised they were staring at _her_. She cleared her throat awkwardly and looked away, fully embarrassed. Very dignified. Then again, it wasn’t as though she had much dignity to begin with.

 

    Lilean turned back to Thor. “You’re asking me to leave my home unattended. No small thing.”

 

    “And I will be in your debt for it. No small thing.”

 

    A sharp smile. “Says the king without a kingdom.”

 

    This time Thor didn’t back down. “I am more than my throne, wherever it stands or doesn’t.”

 

    They stared at each other unblinkingly for a long while, then her smile softened into something a bit friendlier, but only just. “As you say.”

 

    Besides her, Valkyrie felt Loki relax a fraction, and got the distinct impression they’d either just dodged a bullet, or passed a test. Maybe both.

 

****

 

    Five hours.

 

    That was all it took for Lilean to put things right as far as their physical wellbeing was concerned.

 

    He was _not_ jealous.

 

    They sat - well, more like _he_ sat while she’d sort of just... _collapsed_ onto the nearest vaguely comfortable surface - in the room he’d claimed for himself, catching up, and he was all kinds of honoured that she chose him to be vulnerable around, as always. She didn’t do that for just anyone, after all. It wasn’t her way any more than it was his.

 

    The conversation had reached a lull until he stood and dropped onto the bed beside her. “So,” he began almost teasingly, “You have eyes for the Valkyrie...”

 

    She snorted. “Like you don’t?”

 

    He shrugged. “Only in passing.” He turned onto his side. “She seems to like you well enough, if the staring is to be any indication.”

 

    “Everybody stares at me, Loki; they can’t help it,” she dismissed.

 

    “I don’t.” That got him a look. “Anymore,” he corrected.

 

    She leaned towards him and kissed his nose with an almost motherly affection. “And it took you ten years and spells you really shouldn’t know. That’s not a fair comparison.”

 

    “She likes you,” he insisted.

 

    “And what d’you expect to become of that, hmm?” she laughed softly and rolled onto her back again, “Wedding bells?”

 

    “At the very least a fun night.”

 

    She scoffed. “Leave it alone, Loki; it won’t end well for you.” When he didn’t reply she turned her head towards him to find that Look - the one he always got before doing something unbelievably dangerous/stupid - and she sighed. “I’m not stitching you back together this time,” was all she said before looking up to the ceiling again.

 

    “Wouldn’t dream of asking,” he replied with a grin before wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her close to nestle against her.

 

****

 

    They were sitting on the beach outside the ship, her, Loki, Valkyrie and Thor, drinking and swapping stories. Lilean had decided to stick around for a bit after resting, for all she’d told Thor she’d be going out of her way to come at all. Loki smirked knowingly if the subject was brought up, but said nothing, quite valuing having his head attached to the rest of him, thank you very much.

 

    They were discussing battles and Thor had just finished recounting one he’d barely escaped, making a point of relating the pain from injuries he’d fought through, when Lilean scoffed, having had enough of his self-aggrandizing for the night. “Please; try giving birth sometime.”

 

    “You have kids?” Valkyrie asked.

 

    “Just the one so far, ages ago,” She nodded. “Seventeen hours of near-constant _fun.”_

 

    “Hmm; fourteen,” Loki chimed.

 

    Lilean raised the bottle in her grasp in a toast. “Worth it.”

 

    Loki raised his in response. “Worth it.”

 

    Thor grimaced. “That’s more detail than I needed.” He saw the look on Loki’s face and his eyes widened in slight panic. “Don’t!”

 

    They all had a good laugh at his expense, but ultimately Loki didn’t elaborate on the joys of childbirth, much to Thor’s relief.

 

    “How’d you two even meet?” Valkyrie asked Loki and Lilean after a lull in the conversation. The pair looked at each other and laughed.

 

    “This cheeky little bugger - and he _was_ quite little at the time - broke into my old garden, before I moved, looking for, er -” she paused and turned to Loki, “What was it?”

 

    “An herb; I can’t remember the name now.”

 

    “Right. Well, anyway; he just waltzes right in like he owns the place and starts pulling up plants, just _mangling_ the poor dears,” she paused to take a swig of her drink, wiping her mouth with the heel of her hand, “And I come out, all rage and menace, and demand to know what he’s doing in my forest. He’s scared, just absolutely _terrified,_ but tries to act brave, you know, he’s _royalty_ and all that.” She turns to gaze at him fondly. “I cursed him; turned him into a rabbit.”

 

    Valkyrie burst out laughing. “What did you do?” she asked Loki.

 

    “Mostly tried not to get eaten,” Loki replied amusedly. “Heimdall, however, saw the whole thing and told Odin.”

 

    “Oh, he was furious,” Lilean continued, “ _Demanded_ that I turn him back or risk bringing ‘the full wrath of Asgard’ down on my head.” She grinned widely. “So I cursed him, too.”

 

    Valkyrie’s eyes widened with shock, or admiration, or both. “You cursed _Odin??”_

 

    Lilean hummed in confirmation, seeming quite pleased with herself. “’Tis a wise man who respects the Faire Folk...”

 

    Understanding coloured Valkyrie’s features. “So _that’s_ what you are.” Lilean nodded. “What happened next?”

 

    “Mother got involved,” Loki replied simply.

 

    She looked between them. “That’s it?”

 

   “For that row, yeah,” Lilean replied, “We had a sit down - tea, explanations and apologies all around, and then everybody went home little worse for wear.”

 

    “I never knew any of this,” Thor commented, his caution for the being before him growing.

 

    “Of course you didn’t,” Loki scoffed, “Do you really think Odin would have wanted knowledge that embarrassing getting around?”

 

    “A week later, mind,” Lilean went on, “He’s back and asking me to teach him how to shapeshift, ’cause he only knows how to be a few animals and wants a bit of variety. I told him if he could solve a puzzle in two hours, I’d teach him; if not, I’d turn him into a goose and eat him for supper.”

 

    “I solved it in an hour,” Loki said smugly.

 

    Valkyrie scoffed, shaking her head in disbelief. “Would you have actually done it, though? Eaten him?”

 

    “Of course! I don’t like having my time wasted by self-important little shits.”

 

    She laughed. “Now _that_ I can get behind.”

 

    Thor looked between the two women a bit worriedly, then noticed Loki seemed pleased at the interaction and worried even more.

 

****

 

    He was up to something; that much she knew. She didn’t miss how he seemed to be stalking her whenever he wasn’t glued to Lilean’s side. It was starting to annoy her. A lot.

 

    She whirled around suddenly and threw the empty bottle in her hand at him, which he of course deflected with magick, sending it shattering onto the far wall, just as she’d intended, and then he found himself pinned between her and the wall with a knife to his neck. Again.

 

    _“What,”_ she hissed, “Are you doing?”

 

    “Getting your attention,” he replied lightly.

 

    That got him a bemused expression. “Why?”

 

    “Because you’re taking too damn long.”

 

    That... didn’t really help. “Whatever you’re planning; I want no part in it.”

 

    “Well, that would complicate things; you’re rather integral to it.”

 

    “I don’t care,” she pressed the knife closer against his neck, “Leave me alone.”

 

    He raised his hands in surrender, but she noticed he didn’t actually say he’d back off. With an annoyed sigh, she stepped back, turned and stormed away, wondering if Thor would mind terribly if she relieved his brother of a few pieces. She was so wound up that, when she nearly collided with someone turning a corner, the knife was halfway to their throat before she realised it was Lilean and stopped herself.

 

    “Oh! Just you.” She flinched slightly, realising how that sounded.

 

    Lilean raised an eyebrow. “Well, thanks very much,” she said sarcastically.

 

    “Sorry,” she breathed an embarrassed laugh, “I was just... I was expecting Loki, not...”

 

    Lilean groaned. “You, too?”

 

    “Yeah...?”

 

    “Boy’s got a bloody death wish, I swear.” That got a laugh and she tilted her head a bit to the side with a smile playing at her lips. “Is that offer for a drink still on the table?”

 

    “That depends; are you still buying?” she asked back coyly.

 

    The smile widened into a grin.

 

****

 

    Valkyrie was avoiding her, she was perfectly aware of the fact. She didn’t really blame her. It had started innocently enough; they had some drinks, and then some more, and then found more. As the night went on and they got more drunk, Lilean forgot herself and her pull got inadvertently stronger, and before they knew it Valkyrie had said some things she clearly wouldn’t have otherwise. Once morning and sobriety came and words were remembered, the regrets came, along with the realisation of what had happened.

 

    Lilean knew Valkyrie didn’t blame her. They were drunk; things happen. But she was afraid, and Lilean understood, and so resolved to give the woman all the space she wanted. It stung, but it was hardly the first time it happened.

 

    Loki seemed to take the setback, as he called it, like a personal failure, which she found both amusing and adorable, though she chose not to tease him about it. She did hope he wasn’t planning on doing anything about it; she was fairly certain Valkyrie would kill him if he approached her, or at the least maim him a little. As a day passed, and then two, and no murder occurred, Lilean allowed herself to relax.

 

    She was walking down an empty corridor on her way out, thinking she would just return home until the next misadventure brought Loki and/or Thor back to her door, when Valkyrie turned the corner. She froze in her steps for a second, then determination set in her expression and she walked purposely towards her. Before Lilean could think of anything to say, the woman had reached her and grabbed her by the waist, pushing her back and lifting her off the floor as they met the wall behind her.

 

    Lilean made to say something, but Valkyrie cut her off with a really quite insistent kiss, and so she mentally shrugged and kissed her back.

 

****

 

    They lay there trying to catch their breaths and Lilean slowly became aware of something solid digging into her ribs rather uncomfortably; she reached down and grabbed at it, pulling up an empty bottle to her line of vision. How in the world had they missed that? With a scoff, she tossed it aside, hearing a light clunk as it reached the floor. She looked over to her companion to find she was already looking at her, several emotion flicking through her expression.

 

    “I didn’t mean to compel you the other day.” She knew Valkyrie knew, but she still wanted to say it.

 

    “I know. I didn’t mean to run away.”

 

     “I knew you would. They always do. No shame in it; it’s a natural response.”

 

     A frown. “I’m not scared of you. Your power, sure, but not you. I like you.”

 

    Lilean breathed a laugh and glanced down briefly. “Yeah, you were, ah... quite clear on that.”

 

     Valkyrie laughed then leaned forward and kissed her, softly at first, though it quite quickly became heated. Before it could go any further (again), she pulled back and grabbed Lilean’s face in her hands, staring at her for a long while.

 

    “Brunnhilde,” she finally said.

 

    Lilean smiled then pulled her hands away and leaned forward to kiss her again, rolling them over before long.


End file.
